The present invention relates to covers for drug container piston or plunger arrays or piston nests, and packages for cover and piston nest assemblies.
For automated assembly purposes, individual drug container pistons are often positioned in array form, i.e. rows and columns. As discussed herein, a piston array may include any number of pistons and is not limited to a particular matrix configuration. Preferably, the arrangement of a piston array is maintained during automated assembly by positioning individual drug container pistons in a piston nest.
A piston nest is typically a substantially planar tray that includes a plurality of individual nesting units. Each nesting unit is configured to receive a drug container piston. Exemplary piston nests are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,838, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
During automated assembly of drug containers (e.g. syringes), a piston nest assembly, which includes the piston nest and a plurality pistons arranged in individual nesting units of the piston nest, is positioned above a similarly oriented tray with pre-filled drug container barrels. As assembly of the drug containers progresses, each piston from the piston nest is pressed into and aligned with an underlying drug container barrel, using automated means. Automated means may include, but is not limited to, mechanical pins and/or cams used to push each drug container piston out of a piston nest and into the underlying drug container barrel.
To assure that all assembled parts of the drug container are suitable for use, it is important to properly package the piston nest assembly, and orient individual pistons within the nesting unit for sterilization, as well as various stoppering and filling methods. When piston nest assemblies are properly packaged, various contaminants are prevented from negatively impacting sterilization, integrity and/or usability as a part of a primary container.
Current methods of packaging piston nest assemblies, however, do not include use of a cover or other structure that would protect and/or orient individual pistons for sterilization, stoppering, and filling of the drug container. Accordingly, there is a need for covers for drug container piston arrays and piston nests, as well as packages for cover and piston nest assemblies.